GeNeRAl STuDieS DeGRee PRoGRAM INDIANA UNIVERSITy–PURDUE UNIVERSITy FORT WAyNE ...€¦ ·  · 2014-10-21of the new Midwest Orthotics office in Fort Wayne. ... a lifelong passion

Whatever your life situation, General Studies is here to serve you and wants to help you achieve your dreams, just like the alumni featured in this Edition of Generally Speaking

Chris George worked for 12 years as a physical therapy assistant at local hospitals when he realized that he wanted to work in orthotics, a specialty within the medical field that designs and creates orthotic devices to improve function and mobility. The only thing that stood between him and his future career was a bachelor’s degree so that he was eligible to pursue certification in orthotics. “The IPFW General Studies program allowed me to customize the degree to maintain family commitments while considering life experiences to

complete my classroom requirements.”

After graduating from IPFW in 2011 with a Bachelor of General Studies, Chris completed an orthotics certification program through Northwestern University in 2012 and a residency with the Midwest Orthotic & Technology Center in South Bend. Now serving as Practice Manager of the new Midwest Orthotics office in Fort Wayne.

Fall 2014

When approaching retirement at General Motors, Terri Glaza decided to pursue a second career in interior design, a lifelong passion she developed while remodeling and redecorating her home. Terri decided to take her first step toward the new career by completing an associate degree in interior design at IPFW. Her next step was to pursue a bachelor’s degree at IPFW. “The best part about the G.S. program was that I could write my own degree program and take as much time as I wanted to graduate. It was a perfect fit for my career,” she said of the flexible program that led to her B.G.S. in 2012.

Shortly after retiring from General Motors with more than 31 years, Terri started her own business, Access-2-Design, LLC.

Studies show that college students typically change majors three times before finding the right fit. And while General Studies graduate Jeremy Moore was in some ways not a typical college student due to what he calls his “adventurous spirit,” he did change his major three times before choosing General Studies. He started college at Indiana University, in his hometown of Bloomington, where he switched his major from math to theater and from theater to religious studies.

“Generally Speaking”

GeNeRAl STuDieS DeGRee PRoGRAMINDIANA UNIVERSITy–PURDUE UNIVERSITy FORT WAyNE

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“The best part about the G.S. program was that I could write my own degree program and take as much time as I wanted to graduate. It was a perfect fit for my career.”

Terri Glaza, B.G.S. 2012

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Spring/Summer 2014 Graduates*Distinction **Highest Distinction ▼ Chapman Scholar

Associate of Arts in General Studies

Bachelor of General Studies

May BGS 2014

Suha A. AbbasiCrystal J. AilesHolly e. AndrewsDonald e. ArcheyBrock A. ArmstrongAllissa C.

BarnhorstSusan D. Beach*Andrew J. BeckHeather A. BeckleyAndrea J. BehlingShannon N. Bell**Taia N. BensonPierre D. BlandThomas J. BlaughKatherine M.

BowdenAnthony R. BrickerRachel e.

Brouwer**Brandon l. Brownlauri J. BrummettKimberly J. BurleyMonique S. BushAddam B. CampMary T. CampbellCharles T. CarlockDerek J. DanielsAmanda l.

DennisonCaprice M.

ericksonStephanie M.

FeipelPamela K.

FountainWade M. GriffinAmy R. GrohArlana B. HainesClark R. HamiltonMichael T.

HamiltonAndrew D. HammSusan e. HansenKevin D. HardenKristopher

HardimanKyle l. HartChristy l. HegelAshley R. HuffineSusan M.

Humphreyluis A. JacoboJacob D. Joneselizabeth A. KieferKeith e. KiessMeredith J. loucksStephen e. lowden

Rachel e. Makielski

Jessie B. Manwaring

Danielle J. MartinJohn P. McFaddenWillard A. McKinzieCatherine A.

McleishSandi M. Miller*Gregory K. MillsNatalie A. MillspawTrista l. MoyerRobert e. NewvilleRachel A. Noyes*ivette ochoa*Matthew J. offetlinda S.

PicklesimerMolly J. PolstonRebecca l. PowellKim l. RobbinsAdam A. RobyJoshua M.

RodenbeckAshley M. ScatenaKatherine SchafferMelissa S.

SchollaertDarrin M.

Schwartz*Christopher R.

SeilhamerApril C. Semarlauren e. ShafferManisha ShahJacqueline M.

ShepherdScott e. ShodaMandy l. leonardsTiera M. SimpsonHeather R. SpannSandra G. StengelAbigail l. TaylorJames i. TillotsonCurtis P. TomlinsonSara B. Tubergen**Jeremy M. TuckerCharles D. Weaver*Michael P.

WidenhoferBrittany J.

Wilcoxson

June BGS 2014

Kendall M. AshKirsten M. BaileyMakenna R.

Basinger

Corey R. BibersteinNicole e. CassSamantha P.

FernungFairen R. FrisingerKaitlin M. GenglerJaMarcus A. GreenAngela C. HosslerAngela M. JasinskiDaniel S. KangHolly C. Kelly-CurryPamela A. lewisAdam H. longlyndsey M. longAndrew S. MaxsonColleen A.

MayberryPhillip T. SanchezJulie A. Savageelyse M. Schulerlyssa M.

Stechschulte**Thomas S. StrineApril WareShelbey Watts

August 2014 BGS

Natalie N. AkerBrett e. BeerMegan M. BehmJoseph R. BerghoffHunter A. CopelandRaymond DoubleRenita M. FreemanPreston P. GriffingDouglas D. Griffithlindsay C.

GrothouseStephanie M.

HarterYulonda J. JeffersKandice l.

JohnsonShirley Muff-

BynumKodi N. MullinsColleen R. PainterKimberly RochfordJohn W. SchererKelly J. ShanksJohn G. SnowballAudrea l. TolliverAshlee A. TrammelJeffry D. WalkerSamantha l.

Williams

Jeremy completed his Bachelor of General Studies in 2011 and recently served as a contract trainer for Parkview Health System, training employees and medical personnel on EPIC, a new patient management software system.

When Jeff Valliere completed his Bachelor of General Studies degree at IPFW in 2013 and headed to dental school at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis, he left

behind a lot of smiles in Fort Wayne. Through his senior project, Smiles for Success, he worked within the existing healthcare framework of the Matthew 25 Dental Clinic and the Healthy Cities health fair to assist the under-served in Fort Wayne.

After completing an associate degree in Dental Laboratory Technology at IPFW, Jeff knew he wanted to become a dentist. He chose the General Studies program for his bachelor’s degree because of the program’s practicality that allowed him to tailor his coursework to include pre-dental and biology classes in preparation for dental school.

For Valerie Panning “General Studies, for returning adults, is a very soft way to re-enter college, and the staff really hears you and tries to tweak your program and make things

fit your interests and goals,” she notes. In addition, she found that “the classes at IPFW were really applicable to what I wanted to do and they served as a foundation for the rest of my studies.”

Valerie completed her B.G.S. in 2010 and enrolled in the Master of Social Work program at IUPUI. She achieved her M.S.W. in 2012.

Marcus Trice started his college career at Indiana University in Bloomington directly out of high school, where he majored in psychology with a goal of

becoming a clinical psychologist. But after two years, he “stopped out” of school to tend to the responsibilities that came with marriage and a family.

Trice completed the B.G.S. in 2007 and went on to earn a Master of Arts in Communication in 2010. While completing his master’s degree, he served as a graduate assistant and taught organizational communication classes, which led to his desire to teach full time. After achieving his M.A., he transitioned into an adjunct faculty position at IPFW.

Henry and Tricia Graf “It took me forever to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I needed to finish my degree—because without it, I felt like I had no credibility.” Henry decided to enroll in IPFW General Studies.

Henry completed his B.G.S. in 2002 with a minor in Communication and went on to achieve an M.A. in Communication in 2005. Completing a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary and now senior pastor, of Promise Ministries in Fort Wayne. Tricia achieved her B.G.S. in 2007 and currently teaches dance-related classes for IPFW and the University of Saint Francis.

Both agree that General Studies has helped them to achieve their career goals and lifelong dreams that all began years ago when they met as starry-eyed students acting in a college play.

May 2014 AAGS

Megan e. CaudillHeather M. egri

Glenna F. Hepworth

Thant NaingSusan l. Rauch**

June AAGS 2014

Michael C. Carpenter

Stacey l. lengacher

NEWS Students need to know!

Networking: Key to the Hidden Job MarketNov. 11, 2014, 5:30–8:30 p.m.As many as 80 percent of job openings are not advertised, experts say, with employers looking more and more to trusted employees for referrals. That makes networking essential to new college grads who turn to friends, professors, advisors, and alumni as their strategic contacts.

To help General Studies junior and senior-level students develop a plan of action for networking, we are inviting alumni with professional careers to attend Networking: Key to the Hidden Market, Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Walb Student union Ballroom. The event will include free dinner, a business card exchange, presentations, a panel discussion, and a question and answer session.

Please plan to attend. you may become the contact that leads to a satisfying career for a promising student.

The event is free and open to General Studies students and alumni. Preregistration is required: R.S.V.P. by November 3 at 260-481-6828.

ProGram

5:30 p.m. Meet & Greet

6:00 p.m. Dinner and Business Card Swap

6:45 p.m. Networking 101: Abby Wilder, Corporate Recruiter, Lincoln Financial Group

7:30 p.m YlNi Panel “Networking For Young Professionals

Workone ApprovedWe’re proud to announce that General Studies is now a Work One approved program! Learn more about their services at http://www.in.gov/dwd/WorkOne

u.S.News & World ReportNames IPFW Online Programs among Top Three in U.S. For Veterans and names IPFW to the 2014 Military Friendly Schools list by Victory Media. The rankings were designed to help veterans identify high-quality online degree programs that suit their educational needs.

Math 168 Math for Liberal Arts re-named and re-numbered. The Spring ’15 schedule of classes will list the former MA 168 math class as MA 140 – Practical Quantitative Reasoning. The content of the class has not changed, and the textbook for the course has not changed. The pre-requisite is MA 12401 (or MA 113 if students have taken this class and passed with a ‘C’ or higher). This course satisfies the Gen Ed Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Students should discuss all options for meeting the Gen Ed requirement in their individual plans of study.

Registration Dates for Spring and Summer 2015 – Classes on web now.

Degree Candidates, and Seniors .........................Monday, Oct. 20

Juniors, Honors, Athletes, Students w/Disabilities ..........Monday, Oct. 27

Sophmores ............................Monday, Nov. 3

Freshmen and Others ............Monday, Nov. 10

Last Day to Withdraw from Fall Full-Term Classes ..............Friday, Oct. 31

SCHeDule YouR GRADuATioN AuDiTGeneral Studies students graduating May or Summer 2015 are required to meet with an academic advisor for a graduation audit. Please call 260-481-6828 to schedule your audit. Audits can be scheduled after Spring and Summer classes have been released. Academic Ceremonies typically releases commencement information mid-to-late February. Check your my.ipfw.edu email frequently !!

50 Reasons to Celebrate iPFWSeveral General Studies students and alumni were winners in a contest sponsored by the 50th Anniversary committee earlier this spring. Margaret Logan, Kyaw ‘Joe’ Soe, Sunnie Heddon, Deonte Brewer, and Christina Gaspar submitted their IPFW experiences which will be featured on the 50th Anniversary website weekly for one year.

Christina Gaspar, Senior, double major in Human Services and General Studies, also won a $1000 scholarship. “ I am more open to change,

curiosity, people, and becoming a better person. IPFW has allowed me to have great opportunities I would have never thought of. I have advanced more in my life as a mother, spouse, student, and employee because of the experience I have gained.”

NEtWork aNd oPEN doorS!

Graduating Spring or Summer ’15?Call 260-481-6828 NOW!

“After 9/11, I decided to return to school to pursue a career in health care – it was a dream I had never followed. I spoke with my advisor at IPFW, and he recommended a B.G.S. to give me diversity

in my studies so that I could either pursue medical school or PA (physician assistant) school, and have the option of doing an ASN in nursing as well.

After graduation with my MSN and passing boards to become a Family Nurse Practitioner, my family and I moved to Unalaska, AK (an island on the Aleutian chain in the Bering Sea) where I took a job as a nurse practitioner at a Community Health Center – the closest hospital from there is 900 air miles away in Anchorage, AK. I am currently working as an Integrative Nurse Practitioner at the Alaska Center for Natural Medicine in Fairbanks. “

Where in the world is...

Laura Ballou, FNP-BC, B.G.S. ‘04

Laura Ballou

The General Studies staff want to hear from YOU! Please send your updated information to the General Studies office at 2101 E. Coliseum Boulevard, Fort Wayne IN 46805 or e-mail your information to [email protected].

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAID Fort Wayne INPermit No. 92

GenerAl StuDIeS DeGree ProGrAmINdIaNa UNIverSIty–PUrdUe UNIverSIty FOrt WayNe

2101 EAST ColiSEum BoulEvArd

ForT WAynE, in 46805-1499

is published two times each

year by the IPFW General Studies Degree Program.

Julie Fellers Hook, directorSandy McMurtrie, editor

2101 E. Coliseum BoulevardFort Wayne, IN 46805-1499260-481-6828

“Generally Speaking”

Kyaw T. Soe, A.A.G. ’98, B.A. ’04, MSed ’10, IPFW New Immigrant Literacy Program director, launched multiple sites for immigrant children to learn their families’ native tongue through script writing and intensive Burmese language units. More than 1600 children have been served in this program.

Sheila Cuffy, B.G.S ’00, MA ’05, PhD (ABD) participated in a panel featuring African-Americans in Higher Education at IPFW in Spring 2014.

Justin Berger, B.G.S. ’05, CEO at Fort Wayne Habitat for Humanity, recognized in the Class of 2014 ‘Forty Under Forty’ awards. This group is recognized for their achievements in the workplace and volunteer involvement in their communities. Berger is an IPFW Men’s Volleyball alumn.

Travis Buell, B.G.S. ’11, MBA, ’12, named Golden Pen winner from Journal Gazette for July for most effective letter to the editor. Buell is a financial analyst for Lincoln Financial Group.

Nicholas Vernasco, B.G.S. ’13, WestPoint Financial serving as a financial services professional.

Nicholas. Hill, B.G.S. ’06, promoted to business sales consultant, Wells Fargo Bank.

In Memory: Peter T. Mildred, B.G.S.’06, passed away in March 2014. Peter worked as a Safety Director with Mullinix for many years. Peter’s parents, Peter and Daphne Mildred earned B.G. S. degrees as well.

In Memory: Sandra Maddox McPherson, A.A.G.S. ’07, passed on August 12, 2014.

Andre Patterson, B.G.S. ’03 was honored by the Fort Wayne Urban League with the Rising Star Award, awarded to a young professional who demonstrates exemplary leadership and volunteerism.

Christine Armstead, B.G. S. ’02, Police officer and former basketball player at IPFW, was recognized for heroism after she saved a toddler from drowning.

Dimples Smith, B.G.S. ’06, MS OLS ’10, Employee relations and training administrator in human resources at IPFW was awarded the Walk the Talk Award at the Spring ’14 Staff Recognition Luncheon and the Competent Communicator award from Toastmasters International.

Regina Gordon, B.G.S. ’13, appeared in ‘Street Symphony at the 15 Annual International Windsong Film Festival.

Charles T. Carlock, B.G.S.’14, was commissioned into the United States Army with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the May, 2014 Commissioning Ceremony at IPFW.

Kelly Shanks, B.G.S. ’14, Faith Simpson, B.G.S. ‘13, Julie Yoder, B.G.S. ’10, named to Administrative positions at IPFW effective Fall, 2014.

Karen Case, B.G.S. ’06 and M.O. L. Lourdes University, 2014, new Academic Advisor, MAC at IPFW Fall 2014.

Susan Hansen, B.G.S.’14, teaching 3 classes at Ivy Tech Fall 2014.

Frank Gaines, B.G.S.’13, former IPFW basketball standout, has signed to play with Pasta Reggia JuveCaserta Team of the Italy Series A League.

Alumni in the News